Removable panel



Oct. 21, 1941.

E. s. GUIGNON, JR 2,260,178

REMOVABLE PANEL Filed Feb. 5, 1940 )Illy wl ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 21, 1941 UNITED -sTATEs PATENT OFFICE REMOVABLE PANEL Emile S. Guignon, Jr., Kansas City, M0. Application February 5, 1940, serial No. 317,391

6 Claims. (C1. 18a- 34) This invention relates to portable building structures in the nature of those having a frame Work adapted to support a number of grooved blocks arranged in tiers, each of which blocks has a groove extending around the edges thereof, to engage elements of the frame Work, and the primary object of the invention is to provide a removable panel that will take the place of one of said blocks, if the same needs to be removed or is purposely omitted.

One of the important aims of this invention is the provision of a removable panel for buildings of the aforementioned character, which panel may be held in place so that the outer face thereof is in the same plane as the building blocks adjoining the same.

This Ainvention has for another aim the pro- Vision of a removable panel for portable buildings that has resilient clips for engaging the building frame work and laterally extending anges at its periphery so that accidental displacement is avoided While the panel is removably carried so that its periphery is in frictional engagement with the proximal edges with adjoining building blocks.

Other objects of the invention include specific details of construction and will appear during the course of the following speciiication, referring to the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a building structure having as a part thereof, a removable panel made in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view through a portion of a building structure having a pair of opposite removable panels therein; and,

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view through a portion of the wall, taken on line III- III of Fig. 2.

Buildings of the character with which my removable panel is particularly adapted for use, is shown in my co-pending application for U. S. Letters Patent, Serial No. 237,913, filed Oct. 31, 1938, and covering improvements in building structure. The particular form of block with which the present invention may be used is shown in my U. S. Letters Patent No. 2,134,941, issued November 1, 1938.

When portable buildings of the aforementioned character are made, it is often times desired to replace a damaged block, and because of the supporting function required of each block of the building structure, it is difiicult to replace a single block without removing several of the blocks from the frame work. During the construction of a portable building, it is also desirable to instal electric outlet boxes and other parts of service equipment, and it is to solve these problems that the removable panel about to be described, has been devised.

In the drawing the numeral 6 designates the regular vertical tubular members which form a part of the frame work, and 8 are the blocks, the edges of which are provided with grooves I0 that receive members G, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The outer faces of blocks 8 customarily lie in the same plane and the blocks are usually square so that the panel that is to take the place of one of the blocks, may serve whenever a block 8 is to be omitted or is to be replaced.

The panel per se comprises a planar body I2 formed of sheet metal and having laterally extending peripheral iianges I4, at the edges thereof. These flanges are offset or stepped as at I6 along their line of juncture with body I2 so that the same offset I8 in the blocks may be matched.

The free edges of flanges I4 abut members 6 when the outer face of body I2 is in the same i plane as the remaining blocks 8 of the wall.

When flanges, body and members, I4, I2 and 6 respectively, are in such relation, the specially formed resilient clips 20 yieldably and frictionally engage members 6. These clips extend laterally from the same side of body I2 as does continuous flange I4 and each clip is arched and out-turned as at 22 so that the panel may be moved inwardly to` position Without the use of special tools or equipment.

In order that the panels may be placed on either side of the wall, clips 2U are arranged in pairs. The opposite edges of body I2 and the clips of each pair are oiset so that they are not in opposed relation, thus, when a panel is to be supplied at each side of the wall, clips 20 will be offset to avoid striking each other and the relative positions thereof will be as shown in Fig. 3.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, shown in Fig. 1, a conventional outlet box 24 is shown attached to the inner face of body I2 and the usual loom 26 that carries conductors, not here shown, extends from boX 24 into one of members 6 through an opening 28 formed therein. Thus, it is obvious that the removable panel is especially useful in making installations of the character shown that could not be otherwise embodied in a prefabricated block 8 because these blocks 8 are usually lled with insulating material and cannot be torn apart on the job.

The use of a removable panel, such as has been described, will permit meeting practically any contingency that may arise, and while the preferred embodiment has been shown, it is obvious to one skilled in the art that other forms may be made without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a building structure having spaced apart supporting members and unitary blocks, having two outer surfaces, with grooves between in the edges thereof for receiving said supporting members, said blocks being arranged in tiers with the outer surfaces on each side of the blocks being in a common plane, the combination o'f a panel occupying the normal position o'f Aone .of said blocks, said panel having resilient clips extending laterally from the inner face thereof "to engage the supporting members.

2. In a building structure having spaced apart supporting members yand blocks provided with grooves in the edges thereof for receiving said supporting members, said blocks being arranged in tiers with the outer surfaces on each vs'ideY of the blocks being in a common plane, the combination of a panel occupying the normal position of one of said blocks, said panel having resilient clips extending laterally from the inner faceY thereof to 'engage VVthe Vsupporting members, said clips being arranged in pairs 'at opposite edges oi the frame, the clips of said pairs beingL offset whereby clips ci opposing panels will overlap when a panel is positioned at each side of the wall to replace a block.

3. In a building structure having spaced apart supporting members and unitary blocks, having two outer surfaces, with grooves between in the edges thereof for receiving said supporting members, said blocks being arranged in tiers "with the outer surfaces on each side of the Ablocks being in a common plane, the combination of a panel occupying `the normal position of one of saidl blocks, said panel having 'laterally' extending peripheral anges formed thereon for engaging the adjacent blocks, said panel having a plurality of clips extending laterally from the same side of the panel as said flanges, said clips being longitudinally arched and arranged at opposite edges of the panel to engage proximal supporting members.

4. In a building structure of the character described having a supporting frame work and unitary blocks carried by the lframe work to form a wall, each block having two outer suriaces with grooves between to accommodate said frame work, a removable panel comprising a planar body; a peripheral, laterally extending flange on the body; and a plurality of resilient clips on the body projecting laterally therefrom and formed to releasably grip the framework.

5'. In a building structure of the character described having a supporting frame work and blocks carried by the frame work to form a wall, a removable panel comprising a planar body; a peripheral, laterally extending ange on the body; and a plurality of resilient clips on the A'body projecting laterally therefrom and formed to releasably grip the frame work, the free edges of certain of said flanges being in engagement with the frame work when the clips are gripping the frame work whereby to preclude accidental movement of the body as the outer iace thereof is held in the same plane as the adjoining blocks of the wall.

6. In a 'building structure of the character described having a supporting frame work and unitary blocks having two outer surfaces with grooves between, said blocks being carried by the frame work to form a wall, a removable panel comprising a planar body; a peripheral, laterally extending flange on the body; and a plurality of resilient clips on the body projecting laterally therefrom and formed to releasably grip the frame work, the outer face of said flange being in frictional engagement with the edges of the blocks on each side of the panel.

EMILE S. GUIGNON, JR. 

